1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector disposed in a printed circuit board. More particularly, the present invention relates to a so-called press-fit type connector fixed by press-fitting into through-holes formed in a printed circuit board.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a conventional press-fit type connector, for example, a structure as shown in FIG. 1 has been known. Referring to FIG. 1, a connector 300 has contacts 301. The plurality of contacts 301 for electric connection are formed by blanking into a nearly L-shape by a press. The contacts 301 are formed in a nearly similar shape. The plurality of contacts 301 are disposed on a same plane, and formed integrally by insert molding to form a contact group 306. A plurality of contact groups 306 are mounted on a print circuit board 305 by press-fitting one end of each contact 301 of each contact group 306 into a housing 303 simply. In this way, to connect and fix this connector 300 electrically to the printed circuit board 305, press-fit portions 304 formed at other end of each contact 301 are press-fitted into the through-holes formed in the printed circuit board 305. At that time, the upper planes 307 of the insert-molded contact groups 306 are pushed vertically downward.
In this way, conventionally, the connector is formed by simply fitting the sets of contact group 306 which are formed by insert-molding, into the housing 303. Therefore, looseness occurs in the contact groups 306 in the longitudinal direction of the housing 303, so that the terminal alignment becomes poor in the longitudinal direction of the connector 300. When the terminal alignment is poor, it takes time in positioning of the press-fit portions of the contacts 301 to the through-holes formed in the printed circuit board 305. As a result, it is disadvantageous for assembling.
Also, since the contacts 301 are formed by insert-molding for every group, the cost is high in the manufacturing process.
In conjunction with the above description, a terminal assembly and an electric connector assembly using the same is disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2,537,698 corresponding to English Patent Application Nos. 8922765.6 and 8922781.3 both filed on Oct. 10, 1989. In this reference, a terminal subassembly for the right angle connector has a plurality of terminals mutually arranged and is mounted on a substrate. Contact sections extend substantially in parallel in a first direction. Connection section extend into a second direction orthogonal to of the first direction and are connected with the substrate. Middle sections connects the contact sections and the connection sections, respectively. Each of a plurality of terminals has the contact section, the middle section and the connection section. A terminal lead frame contains the plurality of terminals. The terminal subassembly has a web having a substantially frame form and formed of dielectric material which is over-mold at the both edges of each of the middle sections of the terminal lead frame. One on the inner side of the plurality of middle sections of the terminal lead frame is bent for a signal path to be made long, and a portion over-mold by the web is made longer than an outer middle section.
Also, a connector is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 2,557,612. In this reference, the connector includes a plurality of contacts and an insulator. Each of the contacts of a substantially flat plate is composed of a press-fit section which is pressed into a through-hole of a substrate, a contact section which is detachably engaged with a contact of a counter connector, and a connection section which connects the contact section and the press-fit section. The contacts are planted in the insulator in a matrix manner in a connector pitch direction. The thickness direction of the press-fit section and the connection section is parallel to the connector pitch direction. A pressing section is provided at an upper portion of the press-fit section to have a thickness thicker than the connection section. The pressing section is composed of two pieces which are cut out and bent from the connection section. The two pieces extend in the pressing direction and are bent in directions opposite to each other with respect to the thickness direction.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is a connector in which the alignment of a plurality of contacts is improved.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a connector in which positioning between contacts and a printed circuit board can be easily made to increase in the assembling performance.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a connector in which the manufacturing cost can be reduced.
In order to achieve an aspect of the present invention, a connector is composed of a plurality of contacts, a housing and a locator. The plurality of contacts are formed to have nearly L-shaped forms. One end of each of the plurality of contacts is inserted along a contact inserting direction and is fixed in the housing such that the other end of the contact is held along a direction orthogonal to the contact inserting direction. The locator has a plurality of slits in which the other ends of the plurality of contacts are inserted. Also, the locator has a plurality of through-holes consecutive to the plurality of slits such that the other ends of the plurality of contacts penetrate the plurality of through-holes. The locator is mounted on a surface of the housing on which the plurality of contacts are fixed, from a direction orthogonal to the contact inserting direction.
Here, each of the plurality of contacts may have a wide portion in the other end of each of the plurality of contacts. Thus, the locator includes protrusions formed in the plurality of through-holes such that the protrusions are engaged with the wide portions of the plurality of contacts at ends of the wide portions opposite to tips of the other ends. In this case, each of the protrusions may have a recess to be engaged with the opposite end of the wide portion. In addition, each of the plurality of slits may have a space formed to gradually widen toward an inside of the slit.
Also, the locator includes engaging protrusions extending in a direction orthogonal to the contact inserting direction and projecting toward the housing. Also, the housing may include stopping holes to be engaged with the engaging protrusions of the locator. In this case, each of the plurality of contacts may have a wide portion in the other end of each of the plurality of contacts. Also, the locator may include protrusions formed in the plurality of through-holes such that the protrusions are engaged with the wide portions of the plurality of contacts at ends of the wide portions opposite to tips of the other ends. In this case, each of the protrusions may have a recess for engaging the wide portion. In addition, each of the plurality of slits has a space formed to gradually widen toward an inside of the slit.
Also, the plurality of contacts may be grouped into contact groups, and the contacts of each group may be disposed in a predetermined interval on a same plane. Thus, each of the plurality of slits is provided for one of the contact groups. In this case, ones of the plurality of through-holes for each of the contact groups are formed in the slit in a line.